Ego, pride, and honor are formidable forces on their own. However, when they come together, they can overpower even the strongest individuals. This trio has been the downfall of many throughout history because we care too much about how others perceive us. This concern often leads groups to undermine or exploit individuals more than any external threat.
Belonging to a group—whether it’s a country, nation, race, or religion—can politically manipulate, use, and abuse individuals to further its agendas. This spiritually destructive way of living has created not only insecure individuals but also insecure societies worldwide. We kill and destroy our own kind due to group insecurities. We justify these actions with twisted politics of survival and peace, but there is often more behind these agendas.
Ego, pride, honor, and the demand for respect are all linked to violence, whether related to gangs, nations, or religions. These elements have been part of all human societies. Such senseless killings also give rise to perpetual revenge killings. In the larger scheme of life, our systems of governance and religion should address the root causes of our problems to prevent them. If every society justifies its systems—be they religious, traditional, or nationalistic—there is little room for compromise for humanitarian and spiritual reasons. Thus, the tradition of violence continues, regardless of our level of education or evolution.
The issue is that as our technological knowledge evolves, it outpaces our emotional intelligence, spirituality, and politics of belonging. This imbalance creates a dangerous and potentially deadly situation.
Why do people act the way they do? Because society keeps individuals weak to control them. Weak individuals don’t want to change the status quo, so they obey and conform to the politics of their groups. This stalling of individual growth hampers our evolution or even causes regression.
Individual weakness fosters the belief that one’s group possesses the most complete and best knowledge in history, leading to a sense of superiority. This prevents individuals from questioning their group’s knowledge, creating a major obstacle to world peace. Until individuals learn to stand up and question their perceived knowledge and step outside their boundaries, the world will continue to function as it has for millennia.
Killings in the name of God, ego, pride, honor, or enforced respect are part of daily life due to our sense of belonging to specific groups. It’s time to evolve and address issues like the refugee crisis with new perspectives to eradicate the underlying problems.
All nations should understand that people leave their countries because they can’t live without security and peace. The net loss of each individual leaving is a net gain for the society receiving them. Although the harms or benefits may not show immediately, they will have an impact eventually. For instance, Germany, with its aging population, would benefit immensely from the influx of new blood, one individual at a time.
Successful societies have long attracted talented people from around the world, while underdeveloped countries suffer brain drain as their populations leave for better opportunities. This is similar to villages supplying people to mega-cities, suffering loss one individual at a time. Warring factions should understand that ego, pride, and honor can be detrimental, draining the life out of their communities. They should recognize the value of individuals and explain the loss and gain to their populations.
Dr. Wayne Dyer described four levels of consciousness: owning, believing one’s own is better, asking what’s in it for me, and asking what can I do for you. The “what’s in it for me” mindset is found at all levels of politics of belonging. For instance, charity work by religious organizations often comes with strings attached, and advanced nations loan money to others to maintain control.
Selfishness leads to loneliness as people are left behind regardless of their wealth and power. Spirituality, however, connects us all. We need each other individually and collectively. Our mortality is not just an individual phenomenon; entire kingdoms, dynasties, and empires have also vanished. Graveyards aren’t only for individuals; history’s graveyards are filled with governing systems, religions, and empires.
Only spirituality has stood the test of time because it lives within individuals who keep it alive in all societies, regardless of religion. This is why I believe we are all cells of God. Our differences arise from a lack of understanding or misinterpretation of spirituality within religions.
Differences of opinion are the root of many problems. Even within families, differences exist. Both sides often fight for the same thing: fear and insecurities masked by political agendas. Despite claims of seeking equality, politically correct racism persists in every race, gender, nation, and religion. When it comes to human rights, I support equal rights for all, whether in a democracy or not.
Every governing system has flaws, but justice should never be denied to anyone. Individuals should have rights and freedom, but groups should not enforce their ways of living to trample others’ rights. I believe in freedom for all, equally.
When forming a group with shared insecurities, do not replicate the wrongs done to you. Jews, for instance, having been treated unequally by Germans in the past, should not do the same to Palestinians. It is natural to form protective groups, but it is wrong to perpetuate injustice.
Religious extremism, like nationalism and other governing systems, is dangerous when it enforces beliefs on others. We should stand against enforced beliefs because they are not physical realities; harming or killing individuals is.
I oppose any form of extremism because no knowledge is ever complete. If you take pride in your past, remember others do the same. To change others, start with yourself. Set standards for yourself before demanding them from others. True equality comes from not pushing political agendas of belonging groups.
Protecting French language and heritage is an example of politically correct racism. We are all victims of the same problem: an imbalanced sense of belonging. Embrace humanity by removing politics. If you claim land because you were there first, remember everyone’s ancestors were once newcomers.
Earth is our home; remove political divisions to find peace. Geographical lines are political, not physical. Humanity speaks one language: spirituality. Intentions and actions define humanity. The race, gender, nation, or religion survives due to individuals’ good deeds. Seeking special group identity is against human rights. True safety and security lie in the ocean of humanity, not in isolated ponds. Racist and nationalist education breeds fear and division, leading to deadly consequences. History proves this with countless wars and deaths.
As rain joins the ocean, individuals eventually return to humanity. We should leave behind a legacy of peace, not destruction. The primary desire is to raise a family in peace, understanding mortality. Political systems, based on insecurities and control, need fixing. Ownership of land, even for graves, makes little sense given our mortality. Ancient civilizations claimed ownership, yet their graveyards remind us of their impermanence.
Countries and humanity are stronger together. In peaceful times, we can evolve faster and reach our potential.